Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

"If life throws you a few bad notes, don't let them interrupt your song."

"Make your book of life a musical. Never abandon obligations, but have fun leaving behind a colorful legacy. Never allow anybody to be the composer of your own destiny. Take control of your life, and never allow limitations implanted by society tell you how your music is supposed to sound — or how your book is supposed to be written."

"Life is like a piano. White keys are happy moments and the black ones are sad moments. Both keys are played together to give us the sweet music called Life."

"Cultural and religious traditions that forbid cross-cultural unions prevent peace on earth. Instead of rejoicing that our sons and daughters are heart-driven and love other humans outside of their familiar religious, social or cultural domains, we punish and insult them. This is wrong. Honor killings are not honorable by God. They are driven by ignorance and ego and nothing more. The Creator favors the man who loves over the man who hates. If you think God will punish you or your child for allowing them to marry outside of your tribe or faith, then you do not know God. Love is his religion and the light of love sees no walls. Anybody who unconditionally loves another human being for the goodness of their heart and nothing more is already on the right side of God."

"WILL YOU DANCE WITH MEAs we stand here,Hand in hand,Under the neon lights Of Truth and Love. I'm asking you to Dance with me. To twirl,Kick,Drop,Jump,And fly With me. Skidding and Sliding across The dancefloor of life,I want you to Glide with me. Through the Saddest and Happiest songs,The fastest highs To the longest and Slowest lows,I want you to Flow through Them all With Me."

"LOVE IS A FLOWERTreat your relationship As if you are growing The most beautiful sacred flower. Keep watering it,Tend to the roots,And always make sure The petals are full of color And are never curling. Once you neglect your plant,It will die,As will your relationship."

"The true test of a warrior is how your 'stance' holds up after any 'circumstance'. Meaning, even after the stormiest weather, a true warrior will still reflect the brilliant rays of the magnificent sun through both his or her eyes. You may get hit by sudden lightning or take severe beatings from the cruel wind, but you will always get back up and stand strong on your feet again, soak in the sunlight, and be prepared to get hit by even the most merciless hail - time and time again."

"Suffering is imposed on us time and again so that one day we would become brave wise masters. That is, a strong being who is confidently aware of their intended direction in life, and fearlessly adding value to the world and their future."

"We are taught to fear anything that can bring us closer to death — to keep us from taking huge leaps that involve risk. The only thing you should fear in this lifetime is not taking risks while you are living. I do not mean to go jump off a bridge. I mean, to go all out to reach your dreams, to dare to do things you typically would not do out of fear. Pain has a threshold and so does death. Fear neither, and never fear what has no right to be feared."

"Weeping Widows"There is a river that cuts Through The heart of Eve And flows through Paradise's back window. It streams into A bottomless well That rolls down to hell With the tears of the Weeping widows. The women stand along the well,And cry While singing gray lullabies As orphaned children Light up candles to put on palm leaves To push into the stream With petals of jasmine And pieces of tangerine,Then sit back and wait for their father To show up over the horizon Where his heart still beats In their dreams."

"MOTHER IS WATERI wish I could Shower your head with flowers And anoint your feet with my tears,For I know I have caused you So much heartache, frustration and despair –Throughout my youthful years. I wish I could give you The remainder of my life To add to yours,Or simply erase The lines on your face,And mend all that has been torn. For next to God,You are the fire That has given light To the flame in each of my eyes. You are the fountain That nourished my growth,And from your chalice –Gave me life. Without the wetness of your love,The fragrance of your water,Or the trickling sounds of Your voice,I shall always feelthirsty."

"You are a valuable instrument in the orchestration of your own world, and the overall harmony of the universe. Always be in command of your music. Only you can control and shape its tone. If life throws you a few bad notes or vibrations, don't let them interrupt or alter your song."

"Be wary of any man who is quick to put down another man's faith. His love for Truth is not deep enough for him to want to explore additional truths outside his borders. The language of light can only be decoded by the heart. Thus, a man with a closed heart is already blind to understand the words of his own faith."

"Peace of Man"Greet each man with words of love And peace,And a dove will be placed On an olive tree. Leave a man with feelings Of betrayal Or envy,And a dove gets shot Off the olive tree. Greet each man with peace,And leave each man with love. Ask yourself -One more enemy,Or one more dove?Always choose love. It's time for everybody to Speak love. Let's fill the trees with doves,And spread the leaves of love. So,Always add And never subtract Another peace of man From the olive tree."

"If we stood close to each other, side by side, as true brothers and sisters, then evil would not know how to stand between us."

"The world is no longer white, black, yellow and brown. Through love, tribes have been intermixing colors to reveal a new rainbow world. And as more time passes, this racial and cultural blending will make it harder for humans to side with one race, nation or religion over another."

"Segregation is a word of the past. Unity is the key to a peaceful future."

"Killing in the name of religion defines someone who is ignorant and actually void of religion. God does not condone terror. To kill innocent people to make a political statement is like shooting a dove to say hunting is wrong."

"Power is given only to those you allow to have power over you. No man was born with a master. The only master of all is the Creator, and he created all men to be free. Freedom is a God-given right, not a human-granted gift. No man should have to fight to breathe in good health and peace."

"God would prefer us all to be united than divided. The devil would prefer us all to be divided than united. God prefers the man who loves than the one who hates. The devil prefers the man who hates than the one who loves."